# The role of Au–Cl adlayers in the Turkevich synthesis of gold nanoparticles

## TL;DR

This study shows how Au–Cl layers on gold nanoparticles influence their growth and properties during synthesis.

## Contribution

The discovery of Au–Cl adlayers as a key factor in controlling nanoparticle growth and termination.

## Key findings

- Au–Cl adlayers modulate surface chemistry during nanoparticle synthesis.
- Adlayer formation and collapse explain optical and size changes in nanoparticles.
- The findings provide a unified chemical explanation for nanoparticle growth.

## Abstract

Real-time surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy reveals that Au–Cl adlayers modulate the surface chemistry of gold nanoparticles during Turkevich synthesis. The formation, evolution, and collapse of this adlayer account for the characteristic optical, electrochemical, and size changes observed during growth and termination, offering a unified chemical picture of gold nanoparticle synthesis.

Real-time surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy reveals an intermediate Au–Cl surface adlayer that controls growth and termination during gold nanoparticle synthesis.